Dog toy bonanza!

The weather in the UK is boiling. So long walks are out of the question unless you can take them late in the evening.

So how to give your bored dog a bit of exercise?

Toy play!

You can have five minutes of toy play in your garden (and perhaps another five minutes later on) which will wake him up, use up some energy, and enjoy some time with you. If it’s too hot for the garden, play inside!

As you’re still at home, you can always wet his head or put a wet t-shirt on him if he gets too warm, and keep him indoors again. 

And what better time to revive your toy collection - sad, battered, chewed, but much loved - with some spanking new toys which will also help you train your dog at the same time?

There’s a special offer on at the moment, where you can get 3 for 2 terrific toys.

Here you go: http://tug-e-nuff.com/offer/?ref=brilliant

I’ve used these toys for years - and they are astonishingly durable. What’s more, the company ships worldwide. They’re all made of safe materials - which can’t be said for everything you find called “dog toy” - and are designed by trainers with specific training responses in mind. 

Once you’ve purchased your toys, you’ll find detailed info on their site on how to get the best out of them.

Dog training or dog play?

Here you can see Coco having fun with me - getting lots of training in while he thinks it’s just all a game.

Perfect!

Slow your anxious dog down!

If you have an anxious dog or puppy - one who tends to panic when out, bolts at any noise, looks as though he’s doing the firewalk as he hauls you down the road, I suggest you first have a quick read of my recent post “Connecting with your Dog”

One of the things I suggested was to incorporate stop-points, so that your dog can assess the area he’s in without being continually bombarded with new sights and sounds.

A student of mine in From Growly Dog to Confident Dog has an extremely anxious dog whose history as an East European street dog filled her with unnamed fears. Her modus operandi when out is “head down, plough along the pavement”!

So when I suggested having stop-points in one of our course coaching calls - where students can ask for individual help - her owner agreed to try it, thinking it would never work.

What happened?

She went to the green in the middle of her village, sat on the bench with a friend, enjoyed a snack, and watched the world go by. Not only did her dog tolerate this - she actually enjoyed it!

So it has now become a regular feature of their walks.

If you have such a place locally, give it a try. Your dog may surprise you!

No village green for your dog?

And here’s another thing you can try, if finding a spot like that is impossible for you and your particular dog.

One trick I use with Yannick when he’s a bit wound up (when isn’t he?!) is to walk in slow circles.

Staying in the same 10yd² area for a while, gives him time to look at it from all angles. And as we circle, he gets all the bugs out and begins to connect with me again - instead of head down, stare, charge.

I’m not expecting perfect heelwork here! I just mosey round in a circle with him on the outside, and gradually his pulling and lurching stops and he starts to walk nicely beside me - for which he can earn treats, of course.

On our local walk there are a few quiet road junctions where we can circle safely, and hop out of the way if a vehicle comes. I say “CAR” and Yannick sits beside me to allow the monster to pass.

Incidentally, this is how I managed his fear of cars - terror as a puppy - simply by giving him due warning. He chooses either to sit beside me or hop up onto the verge or bank at the side of the road. He makes the choice and feels happier about it. And a tractor or lorry is “BIG CAR”!

Have you got a bolter? A panicker? A worrier?

Could you do with some strategies and techniques to help you manage your anxious, reactive, shy, Growly Dog? Start with this free Masterclass and see how you can get in on those regular coaching calls!

What is a dog walk?

We humans think of a walk as going from A to B.

Dogs see it differently. They just find themselves in an area that has to be explored.

If you walk dogs off-lead, they’ll cover 3 to 4 times as much ground as you, often at a fair lick.

They’re sniffing everything. Following their noses.

There are so many blades of grass out there, and EACH ONE has to be investigated! It’s just like walking a toddler, only faster 😊

So even if you can’t let your dog off-lead when out, at least give them a bit of line, pause in a good spot, and let them roam.

You can sit on the grass (get ready for lots of enthusiastic cuddles when you’re down at his level!) or perch on a fence post and watch the world go by.

Who’s the walk for?

And what constitutes a walk, in the dog’s eyes?

Look at it from his point of view, instead of trying to make him see ours.

 

Dogs and Fireworks!

We’re approaching firework season in some parts of the world. So you need to work fast to be able to help your dog on July 4.

If your firework season doesn’t begin for a while - ours here in England is mainly from November to December - that gives you plenty of time to adopt some of these ideas to help you next time round.

There’s a lot of advice washing about the internet about what you should do to minimise the effect of fireworks on your dog. Some is good, some is awful, some is just ineffectual.

So I was interested to see a study which actually assessed various treatments.

They started out with popular practices promoted for firework fears, and - ooh, how interesting!

  • Environmental modification (e.g., providing a hiding place, keeping windows and blinds closed, and playing music)

  • Feed/play (providing the dog with chews, play, and food during fireworks in general, as well as contingent on loud bangs)

  • Alternative (use of calming nutraceuticals, pheromones, herbal products, homeopathic products, Bach flowers, and essential oils)

  • Interaction (allowing body contact, petting, and talking to the dog when loud bangs occurred).

 

Of the four management methods, only “feed/play” was statistically associated with an improvement in fear responses to fireworks.

 

Note that “Feed/play” of necessity includes interaction with the owner.

How very interesting …

 

Firework strategy effectiveness

Then they delved more deeply into actual strategies.

In a nutshell, they found that the percentage of surveyed owners reporting effectiveness was this:

Prescription meds: 69%

Non-prescription remedies: 27-35% - no better than a placebo.

Pressure vests: 44%

Noise CDs: 55%

Relaxation training: 69%

And the winner is …. 🥁🥁🥁

Counterconditioning! At 70% this method scored most highly.

And those of you who are understandably reluctant to opt for prescription meds (which have all sorts of caveats) you should be delighted to see you don’t need to spend a bean on helping your dog!

Relaxation training and Counterconditioning are the way to go.

 

Fears are all much of a muchness

Counterconditioning is THE tool par excellence for helping to alleviate fears. And not just in dogs. All animals (we’re animals) respond well to counterconditioning. A very basic, instinctive, response in a parent to a fearful child is to soothe and cuddle them, turning the scary experience into feelings of warmth and protection. The cuddling may work with some dogs in some circumstances, but soothing via the instant delivery of treats will definitely work.

The treats may drop out of their mouth to begin with - they’re too overwhelmed to eat. (Would you tuck into some offered cake when a mad axeman appears to be heading for you?)

But at some stage the dog is going to start tasting them. Then chewing and swallowing them, and eventually, looking for more.

Huzzah! They have detached from the fearful thing in favour of your attention!

It really is as simple as that.

And demonstrably, so effective!

What you need (apart from quick access to soft well-scented treats that you know your dog loves) is

P A T I E N C E 

Rome wasn’t built in a day.

It can take many, many, iterations to get to the stage of your dog leaving the fear and choosing your treats.

But you will get there!

 

Counterconditioning for any fear

And does this work only for fireworks?

No!

What about the dog who’s afraid of:

 

🐾 Other dogs

🐾 Noises

🐾 Planes

🐾 Birds

🐾 Slippery floors

🐾 People

🐾 Children

🐾 Visitors

🐾 A knock on the door

.. you name it

 

You can adopt the same simple practice to help with all fears.

Pick one that worries your dog, load your pockets, and give it a try!

I’ll be interested to hear how it goes for you.

RESOURCES

Effectiveness of treatments for firework fears in dogs

My dog’s NOT afraid of fireworks! But why?

Talking dogs!

I’ve been reading some interesting studies on talking dogs recently. You’ll find the links in RESOURCES below.

(Don’t worry - I’m not expecting you to plough through a doctoral thesis - though you can if you like! There are very good Abstracts that give you the speedy details.)

In one, Chaser

🐶 learned and retained the names of 1022 toys. (Over a thousand!!)

🐶 She demonstrated independence of meaning of names and commands.

🐶 She learned common nouns that represented categories. 

🐶 She learned words by inferential reasoning by exclusion.

🐶 She demonstrated referential understanding of nouns.

And in the other, Rico

🐶 learned 200 words

🐶 He learned new words by “fast mapping” - on one exposure.

🐶 This system was previously thought exclusive to humans.

 

Well, both Rico and Chaser are Border Collies 😊 - but that does not mean that other dogs cannot do the same! Once you open this door in their mind, ANY dog can start learning.

I’m teaching Yannick to communicate using our words (more upcoming in future posts!) - a process practiced by every kind of pet dog and cat, horses, goats, and guinea pigs.

We’re not as clever as we thought we were!

Or, rather, animals are a lot cleverer than we’ve ever given them credit for.

The studies mentioned indicate that their subject animals can communicate clearly, using words we give them. They clearly understand the words’ meanings and use them correctly.

How can I get my dog to “speak”?

Be sure you’re not confusing him.

If you want to refer to his favourite green teddy bear, choose ONE name for it - “Ted”, for instance.

Not “Where’s your green toy?” “Get your bear,” “Find Teddy,” etc.

Speak the word slowly and clearly to start with, and always make it the same word. You can layer on as much feeling to these words as you like! “Find Ted!!”

In other words?

Now that doesn’t mean you can’t chat to your dog!

An example: If I say SIT, and no sit happens - rather than repeating the word and nagging, I’m likely to say quietly, “What should you be doing?”

This is simply a way to get the dog to focus and remember that he was asked to sit.

And so much better than “Sit, SIT, I said SIT!” etc.

You’ll see from a quick glance at the abstract of the studies listed in RESOURCES below, that dogs can have a phenomenal grasp of language.

If you speak to your dog as if he were a toddler, maybe about 3, you’ll do fine!

Let clarity be your watchword.

And remember that this is a two-way process - you have to make space so you can listen to your dog.

Teaching your dog through play

The quickest way to get started with this is through play. With you.

Play is so important to our dogs! We can use it wherever possible to teach.

Your dog will be fully engaged and eager to work out the game with you.

Now, I can’t guarantee that there’ll be any green teddy bears, but you’ll find a splendid selection of interactive play toys here.

Dog play for fun and learning!

Playing with your dog is the most important thing you can do.

There - I’ve said it!

It’s not “training”, “correcting”, fighting to get his attention … It’s a way for your dog to see you as the most exciting thing going.

You can be relied upon to respond to him with a game at any time - and this builds adulation in your dog!

How to play with your dog

Now, there are do’s and don’t’s of play.

Endlessly chucking a ball will gradually destroy your dog’s shoulders and can bring on early arthritis.

And we don’t waggle a toy in our dog’s face and expect him to join in. Would you - if I waggled a toy in your face?

What we do is get our toy to behave like prey - that’s what’ll get your dog fired up and engaged!

That’s why I love chaser toys and flirt poles. They’re irresistible to dogs - and they’re a wonderful way to teach impulse control.

After all, your dog won’t be catching any rabbits if he simply flies off whenever he sees one. There’s stalking to be done, stopping still, eying the prey, then - when the time is right - explosive running and a grab.

Now, while you’re twitching your toy about in the grass, as it looks for all the world like a furry creature, you want your dog to WAIT till the right moment. In this case, you decide when that moment is, you give your release word (Gettit! Is mine) and your dog can start the chase.

Here’s a video that shows you the level of impulse control you can build into even the most excited dog by using a chase toy.

You’ll see that the dogs mostly stay in position on the picnic table, can release the toy (Cricket the Whippet finds this hard!) and are fully engaged with the toy when it’s their turn.

You can also see Coco Poodle becoming more thoughtful as racing after the toy fails to work. He develops a new strategy of waiting for the right moment - and that works!

What sort of dog toy?

Chase and tug toys are great for

  • Harnessing instinctive drives

  • Using the strong hunt-kill sequence to teach self-control

  • Focus in high arousal

  • Start ‘em young - very young puppies can learn fast

  • Exercise!

  • Turn-taking to avoid scraps in multi-dog households

.. and it so happens that I’ve found the best chase toys available and arranged a discount for you!

Go to Dog Toys and watch some more detailed videos of me using high-quality toys to teach my dogs, and see how you can do this yourself. (And snatch your discount!)

You’ll see in these videos how fast and furious a “training session” can be - and how much you can achieve in a very short time.

Lessons for you

And for step-by-step lessons for all the skills demonstrated there, check out the free Workshop here and find out how to get the best out of your dog!

 

Have you got a reactive, anxious, Growly, Dog?

🐾 Are you one of those people who creeps about in the dark walking your dog, for fear of meeting … anybody?

🐾 Are you fed up with the snooty looks and snide remarks about “that vicious dog”?

🐾 Are you frustrated by finding only ‘trainers’ who want you to do nasty things to your dog, rather than loving them - as you do?

If so, I want to draw your attention to From Growly Dog to Confident Dog.

And rather than me saying what a wonderful program it is (well, I would, wouldn’t I!) I’m letting some of my long-term students say what they think.

Many of my students have been with me for years. Why?

Because this system works!

So here are pieces from three very different students with very different dogs:


See what you make of what they say! And if you are inspired to learn more, start with our free Masterclass for Growly Dogs

Brilliant Family Dog


When Lois was a puppy, I always dreamt and hoped she would be a cute little dog, a “well-behaved” little dog, that I could proudly walk down the street with - my calm, well-trained, obedient little “Angel”.

I soon realised that wasn’t to be!

She became a fearful, reactive dog. Nothing bad had happened in her life to provoke this behaviour, it’s just how she was. I dreaded walking out with her as her reactivity soon became unmanageable - ferociously barking, screaming, lunging, growling at every dog and child we came across. Taking her into pubs, cafés, shops, any public place, was unthinkable. She was a total nightmare. “What have I done” I would often think. Many tears were shed.

But then I discovered Beverley Courtney .. and after being misled by so many trainers prior, Beverley was our lifesaver. First I read her books, and I was so impressed. This type of dog training was kind, I loved it!

So then I worked through her brilliant courses. I soon learned how to understand WHY Lois behaved as she did, and how to manage her behaviour, and to be respectful, and be her advocate. Working slowly through Beverley’s modules, at our own pace, and never skipping anything, or starting midway, Lois and I became a team. Beverley was .. and still is .. there for us every step of the way. Her support is immense, and her willingness to share her knowledge is incredible.

Lois and I began to understand each other - she is encouraged to make her own choices in life, and she is NEVER forced into situations where she feels threatened or frightened. Yes it has taken time, hard work, and lots of patience, but she is now the calmest of dogs. And I can confidently walk out with her, knowing that she feels safe and comfortable with me, by using the strategies that Beverley taught me. I manage Lois’ reactivity in the kindest of ways. We get so many compliments now, and being with her gives me the most pleasure in life.

If I could wave a magic wand and change Lois into a non-reactive dog, would I do that? Absolutely NOT! I wouldn’t change her for the world. She is unique, she has character, she trusts me, and that’s what I love. She is Lois. 🐾

This is all thanks to Beverley ❤️ She has saved us from a life of misery and regret.

Carol Russell

Brilliant Family Dog

I am so relieved and grateful to have found the Growly Dog Program. Before joining Dudley was so anxious and reactive, and we wanted to find someone who would help with kindness and care.

This is exactly what you get from Beverley!

Apart from her many qualifications and experience she truly has the dog's best interest at heart. The step-by-step course is easy to follow and the monthly calls are invaluable. Questions are answered fully with great advice. The community is there so you can get help at any time with supportive people who really understand. 

Dudley is a much calmer happy dog. Thank you Beverley!

Sue Wright


I was very frustrated with my dog’s behavior, and honestly did not know where to begin.

I joined Beverley's Growly Dog online program in 2019, and my dog's improvement has been remarkable. As I write this, my reactive dog is lying on his bed chewing on his bone … what is amazing about this scenario is there are workers in the next room drilling! Prior to taking the course, my dog would have been running around the room barking nonstop causing us both a lot of stress.

Other areas of improvement include walking by my side instead of pulling; greeting people we meet on our walk, returning to me, and lying down by my feet as we chat; lying down beside me when people are visiting at our house; no more jumping, pulling, lunging, and nonstop barking.

I cannot overemphasize the amount of ongoing support offered by Beverley and her two trainers. You can ask questions in the online community and monthly Zoom coaching calls. You receive personalized advice specific to your needs. There are several other available resources that you can explore on her website.

My relationship with my dog has improved so much. He has grown more confident and less fearful by playing the training games I learned in the course. I have also grown more confident by learning strategies I can use to manage the situations we may encounter.

Sue Brandenburg

Read enough to tickle your curiosity? Watch the Masterclass to get a feel of how this program works so well! Any questions, just ask in the chat on the Masterclass page.

We’d love to see you there and help you and your dog enjoy a calmer, more fulfilling, life.

So you can reach the level that Sue, Carol, and Sue reached for their dogs.

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